Now in its 23rd year, the annual Country Range Student Chef Challenge has become the pinnacle for full-time hospitality and catering college students looking to showcase their culinary prowess and creativity, while developing “real life” catering skills and experience under intense pressure situations.The 2016/17 Challenge – Healthy Gourmet Fine DiningIn an extremely on-trend theme for the 2016/17 challenge, each team of three students will be tasked with creating, preparing and cooking a three-course, three-cover menu around the theme ‘Healthy Gourmet Fine Dining’.The menu must include:
• A vegetarian starter containing at least one super grain, such as amaranth, chia seeds, freekeh or quinoa
• A main course that can contain meat or fish but must be centred around imaginative healthy cooking techniques
• A dessert that should contain fruit where possible and refrain from containing too much butter and cream.
Applications, Timings and Deadlines
Registration for the competition opened on the 1st September and chef lecturers from across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales are invited to enter at www.countryrangestudentchef.co.uk
Chef lecturers will be required to enter their team(s) by submitting a completed entry form, which includes details of their three-course, three-cover menu, the ingredients and methodology used for each course and the associated costs of each element, which must total a maximum of £8 per cover. Deadline for registrations closes on the 28th November.
The menus will then be judged with the winning teams selected to compete in regional heats at the end of January 2017 before the successful teams make it through to the live final which will take place on the 15th March in the Live Theatre of ScotHot – Scotland’s biggest food, drink and hospitality show. ScotHot runs from the 15-16th March at the SECC Glasgow and is also home to the 31st Scottish Culinary Championships.
In addition to taking home the much coveted title, the victorious team will also win the unique opportunity to work with the Guild’s culinary team in catering for over a thousand guests at the Craft Guild of Chefs Annual Awards 2017.
Andrew Green, Craft Guild of Chefs Director of Operations, said:
“We’re thrilled that the Country Range brand is sponsoring this important competition. It is vital that student chefs are given a platform on which to showcase their talents and learn to perform in a high pressure environment.”
Coral Rose, Managing Director of Country Range Group, said:
“We are delighted to support this well-respected culinary competition and are honoured to champion the chefs of the future. It is important that students are given the opportunity to showcase their skills within the industry. The Student Chef competition not only does this but throughout the course of the competition provides further support and development of their talent. We are excited to be working with the colleges, students and the Craft Guild of Chefs to build an even greater event in 2016/17.”